“Good morning, Sophie” James greeted as he stretched out his arms.“Good morning,” She responded as she sat up, she stared at her brother for some time and then she nodded “Mum’s birthday, right? James nodded in agreement“We can't do this alone,” James responded “Yeah, Let's meet with Aunt Maria, she might be of help to us.”Sophie and James, bubbling with excitement, rushed down the staircase of their home. They exchanged conspiratorial looks as they approached the kitchen, where Maria was busy preparing breakfast. "Aunt Maria," Sophie whispered, tugging gently at Maria's apron. "We need your help!"Maria turned, since this was unusual, her eyes twinkled with curiosity. "What is it, Sophie?"James leaned in closer, and spoke in a low tone. "It's about our Mom's birthday. It's in two days, and we don't think she remembers. We want to plan a surprise for her."Maria's face lit up with a warm smile. "That's a wonderful idea! You two are so sweet. You know, your mother truly deserves
The knock on the door in the early hours of the morning, made Nina's heart skip. She wasn't expecting anyone. “Could it be Marcus?” She whispered softly.She looked at the stairs, no one was in sight. She took a deep breath and walked towards the window to check if she could at least see the face of who was behind the door.“Oh my goodness!” She cried out softly as the knock came again for the fourth time. She walked into the kitchen, unsure of what she was looking for. After spending some minutes in the kitchen, she walked towards the door for the fifth time. “Why don't you say your last prayer?” A voice echoed in her thoughts. She turned to look at the house one last time and then she opened the door “Nina, happy belated birthday!” Olivia exclaimed, pulling her sister into a tight embrace. “We wanted to bring you something special.”Nina felt her heart leap from chest and then she smiled, her heart warming at the sight of her sister and mother standing on her doorstep. “So it was y
Mrs. Dorathy and Olivia returned home from the delightful surprise birthday celebration at Nina’s house. Their hearts were still light from the laughter and love that they experienced that the day. The bond with Nina felt stronger than ever, and the sense of family unity gave them a comforting reassurance.“I hope we could start all over again.” Olivia said as she led the way to the entrance.“Definitely,” her mother added.As they approached the front door, they noticed that a man was standing on their porch, he was holding something that looked like a small parcel. His presence was unexpected, and both Mrs. Dorathy and Olivia felt a slight unease in their hearts.“Good evening Ma'am,” the man greeted politely, extending the parcel towards them. “I was asked to deliver this to you.”Olivia exchanged a wary glance with her mother. Mum?“I'm not expecting anything from anyone.”“Who sent it?” Olivia asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.The man shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just the d
“Henry, what do you think about what happened last night?” Nina asked, trying to face her husband.“Sweetheart, i've told you not to worry about anything, just ignore any news from anyone. We just celebrated your birthday and we can't just let some worry take away the joy that he had.”“It's okay but…” Nina’s phone buzzed with an incoming call. She glanced at the screen, noting it was from an unknown number. “Who could this be?” She whispered softly.“Hello?” she answered.“Is this Nina?” a male voice asked.“Yes, who is this?” Nina asked, trying to keep her voice steady.“I just wanted to know if you were at home,” the voice said, ignoring her question.Nina’s suspicions were immediately aroused. “I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose my location to someone I don’t know. Who are you?”There was a pause on the other end before the line went dead. Nina stared at her phone, with her heart pounding. Something wasn’t right. She hurried downstairs to find Henry, who was in the living room, scrol
Nina watched her husband walk away, the threat from Marcus has restricted them in every area. She moved towards the window, watching her children play, obviously unaware of the turmoil within her. She heaved a sigh of relief and left. Nina paced back and forth in the living room, as her mind raced with different thoughts of how to ensure her family’s safety. The situation with Marcus was becoming more dangerous by every passing minute, and she knew they needed to take extra precautions. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to call her mother and ask her and Olivia to come over to their house. It would be safer if they were all together. She picked up her phone and dialed her mother’s number.“Nina, is everything alright?” Mrs. Dorothy’s voice was filled with concern.“I’m fine Mom, but I need you and Olivia to come over to our house,” Nina said, trying to keep her voice steady. “It’s not safe for you to stay alone right now. Marcus is getting more aggressive each day, and I
“Good morning, Mum” Olivia greeted as she stretched out her arms, but there was no response from her mother. She turned and became shocked to see her mother struggling.Out of fear, Olivia burst into Nina's room. "Nina, come quick! It's Mom. She’s not feeling well. I think it might be a heart attack!"“What!” Nina’s heart dropped. She leaped from her bed, without taking a moment to put on her robe. Henry, who had been sleeping lightly due to the stress of the past few days, woke up instantly at the sound of the door and Olivia's voice. Together, they rushed to Mrs. Dorothy’s room.Mrs. Dorothy lay on the bed, using her hand to hold her chest tightly. She was gasping for breath, her eyes wide with fear. Nina’s mind skipped several beats as she knelt beside her mother, trying to stay calm.“Mom, it’s going to be okay. We’re here,” Nina said in fear. “Henry, we need to get her to the hospital now!”Henry nodded and quickly helped Mrs. Dorothy into a sitting position, carefully lifting he
Nina looked at her husband hoping that he would say something to ease the situation but he said nothing. She stood up and started pacing, all of a sudden she lost control of her temper.“Henry, would you sit back there and do nothing? You aren't even saying anything, what are you up to?”Henry shot at her in anger. “Please don't complicate issues, we are already going through a lot. Don't make it get worse.”“Really? Is that all you have to say? “What were you expecting me to say? We have nothing to do but to wait for the police. Having this argument will take us nowhere but make things worse.Nina couldn't hold back her anger any longer. The constant threats from Marcus and her husband's silence were pushing her to the edge. She felt helpless and frustrated, and she needed to do something about it. Driven by fury and desperation, she decided to confront the police about their handling of the situation.“Where do you think you are going to go?” Henry asked as he tried to stop her, bu
Night had fallen, and the sounds and movements in the hospital were gradually reducing. Henry had returned home to look after the kids, leaving Nina and Olivia to stay with their mother.“Please take care of yourself, you two.”“Sure we will, hug the kids for me.” Nina said as she left the arms of her husband.She returned to the room to sit beside her mother's bed, gently stroking her hand while Olivia paced about the room, unable to sit for a long time. The recent happenings had left both women clueless of what would happen next but they found comfort in each other's company as they kept watch over their mother."She looks so peaceful," Nina whispered, more to herself than to Olivia. "I hope she’s finally getting some rest."Olivia nodded, her eyes filled with worry. "She needs it. We all do."“I hope this ends soon sis.” Nina said as she squeezed her sister's hand.As they sat in silence, the door creaked open, and a nurse stepped in. She was young, with a kind face and a professio
Marcus lay on the cold, concrete floor, in the ocean of his blood, his breath came in ragged gasps. His once confident, domineering presence was now reduced to a pitiful, broken man struggling to fight for his life. Kelly stood over him, with the gun still trembling in her hand. The shock of what she had just done was written all over her.Marcus’s eyes, once filled with cold calculation, now held a flicker of disappointment, anger, and perhaps even a trace of betrayal. He coughed, and the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through his body, he stretched his hand out toward Kelly, but his fingers wavered as if trying to grasp something just out of reach.“Kelly,” Marcus whispered. “Why…why did you do this? I thought…we were on the same side. I thought we agreed… to get revenge.”Kelly’s lips shook as she looked down at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. The man lying before her was a shadow of the person she had once known, the man who had manipulated her, twisted her emotions,
The door finally creaked open, and the sound echoed through the warehouse like a gunshot. Nina’s breath caught in her throat as Marcus walked in with Nurse Kelly. The sight of her sent a wave of shock through the room, the collective gasps of everyone echoed in the silence. Kelly’s presence was unexpected, and for a brief moment, everyone seemed frozen in place, as their minds struggled to process this new development.Nina’s eyes locked onto Kelly’s, searching for some sign of what was going to happen next. On the other hand, Kelly’s expression was unreadable. But there was a look in her eyes that sent a chill down Nina’s spine.Marcus stopped in the middle of the room, studying the faces around him with a predatory gaze. He seems to enjoy the fear he saw in their faces. He moved closer to Nina. “I told you, but you wouldn't listen. You wanted to see what I could do. Right?” He asked her as he wiped a tear from her eyes.“See what you’ve caused. Everyone is in a mess because of you.
Inside the cold warehouse, the air was thick with tension. Nina sat bound to a chair. She watched the movement of Marcus in fear. After some time of pacing around, he stood before her with a twisted smile on his face. The sight of him made her blood boil, but she knew she had to keep her composure. Any sign of disobedience could set him off, and the last thing she wanted was to put her family in more danger. He leaned forward to kiss her, but she quickly turned her face.Marcus had been making jest of her for what felt like hours. Every now and then, he would lean in close, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered threats.“You’re so predictable, Nina,” Marcus sneered, pacing back and forth in front of her. “You’re always trying to be the hero, always thinking you can outsmart me. But look where that’s gotten you. Tied up and at my mercy. I thought you’d recognise me when I came, but No!. Can't you see that you're dumb?”Nina’s jaw clenched as she fought the urge to spit in his
Henry's heart pounded as he drove towards the east of the town. He called Olivia to ensure that they were safe while he also informed them about his movements, his thoughts were consumed with fear and anger. “Please be safe out there.” Olivia managed to say.“Sure, be more vigilant as well.” Henry said as dropped the phone.The lead he had just received from Maria felt promising, but he couldn't shake the fear that something terrible might happen to Nina before he could reach her. The idea of Marcus holding her captive, possibly harming her, made Henry's blood boil. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, as he sped down the road.The sudden ring of his phone startled him. He quickly glanced at the caller ID and felt a cold chill run down his spine. It was Marcus. “My goodness!” He exclaimed loudly as he pulled by the road.Henry hesitated for just a moment before answering, trying to prepare his mind for whatever twisted words would come through the line."Henry," Marcus’s voice came
"Doctor?" Nina said, her voice tinged with confusion. "Why didn't you inform us that you were coming? We weren’t expecting you at all."The doctor didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stepped closer, his eyes fixed on her in a way that sent a chill down her spine. Before she could react, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a gun. Nina's heart stopped, and she took a step back, fear paralyzing her."Don’t be a fool, shut your mouth and get into the car," he ordered, his voice cold and unfamiliar. It was then that she noticed something else, his face wasn’t right. The more she looked at him, the more she realized this wasn’t the doctor. His eyes were different Then, with a swift movement, he ripped off what she now saw was a mask, revealing his true face.It was Marcus.Nina’s blood ran cold as she recognized him. His face looked more cruel than before, and his eyes were filled with malice. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Instead, she found herself frozen on th
“Take it here, and drop it there.” Nina said as she held her husband closely.“We’re doing it, my darling.” Henry told his wife. “I can't wait to start life again with you.Just then, Henry’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen and saw Kelly’s name flashing. He tapped the screen and put it on speaker. “Henry, listen to me,” Kelly’s voice was urgent, filled with fear. “Don’t go anywhere. Marcus is out there. I just saw him, he looked like he was heading to your house. And I'm very sure he’s planning something.”Marcus had instructed Kelly to call him so that they would be able to know their new location.Henry exchanged a look with Nina, as his heart was pounding. “We need to stay back,” he said, his voice tight with urgency.“Oh my!” What's all these? She asked as she ran outside to alert everyone.“Get inside, now,” Nina ordered, ushering everyone back into the house. They moved quickly. Inside, they locked the doors and pulled the curtains shut. Henry’s mind raced
Kelly looked around in fear as she tried to find her way out of the strange environment. Her heart pounded in her chest with every step she took. She knew Marcus’s men were around, but she had to take the chance. She moved quietly, trying to find an escape route. Just as she thought she was close to a lonely road, Marcus suddenly appeared in front of her."Where do you think you're going, Kelly?" Marcus's voice was low and demeaning.Kelly got startled. She tried to back away, but Marcus stepped closer, his eyes were cold and calculating. "Why are you trying to escape?" he asked, his tone threatening. "Don't you think you are putting yourself in more danger? Hey my darling Kelly, No one leaves under my custody."Kelly swallowed hard, trying to muster her courage but his cold laughter made her angry. She raised her hand to give him a slap but Marcus prevented it quickly and resumed laughing at her in a mocking tone.Kelly felt helpless, she fell on her knees and tears started dropping
Henry knew they were playing a more dangerous game so he decided to get started on the difficult task of processing their visas to leave the country. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but it was their best chance at escaping the clutches of Marcus and Kelly. He made secret calls and filled out the necessary documents, all while keeping a watchful eye on his family.Meanwhile, Marcus grew increasingly desperate and angry. He started calling Clarissa, Nina, and Henry relentlessly, hoping to instill fear and make them slip up. But Henry and Nina had already decided to ignore his calls, understanding that engaging with him would only make matters worse. Clarissa, however, answered one of his calls out of frustration and a desire to confront him."Hello?" Clarissa said, her voice trembling slightly."Clarissa, it's Marcus," came the cold, familiar voice. "You thought you could run away and hide?""I’m not hiding, Marcus," Clarissa retorted. "I’m trying to live my life without your threats."“Ar
Nina held Henry's hand firmly, not wanting him to move an inch. “Henry, please I beg you. Don't go.”“Nina just hold on.” He whispered softly. Henry gave a signal for Clarissa to take the kids to their rooms while he took the next step.Henry glanced through the peephole cautiously. When he recognized the man standing outside, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. It was their neighbor, Mr. Thompson, who lived just three houses down. Henry opened the door slowly, ensuring there were no unexpected surprises waiting behind the familiar face. He wondered what had brought him here, his family just moved here and they barely go out."Good evening, Mr. Thompson," Henry greeted, attempting to hide the unease in his voice."Evening, Henry," Mr. Thompson replied, stepping inside quickly. "I hope everything is going smoothly?”“Sure,” he responded with a nod.“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some people were asking about you and your family, they had your pictures with them too. But the